E20 fuel row: Rahul Gandhi alleges corruption, vows major campaign

Rahul Gandhi slammed the E20 fuel program, alleging corruption and damage to vehicles. He vowed to take up the issue, calling it theft. The government countered, saying the fuel is safe for compatible cars with no evidence of systemic damage.

Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday escalated political friction surrounding the central government's accelerated implementation of the E20 fuel program, petrol blended with 20% ethanol. In a video message released on X, Gandhi targeted the policy by twisting the popular Hindi idiom "daal mein kuch kaala hai" (implying something is suspicious) to argue that the entire system surrounding the fuel shift is rotten and corrupt.

Rahul Gandhi Slams E20 Fuel Program, Alleges Corruption

He further addressed why the opposition has not tackled every alleged wrongdoing simultaneously. He explained that political campaigns must prioritise issues in a specific order, "sequencing", because the volume of governance issues and corruption cases is overwhelming. "This is a matter of sequencing. In any campaign, we have to decide the sequence of affairs. Our problem right now is that there is so much corruption that there is a huge list of issues that we have to sequence," Gandhi said.

He signalled that the E20 fuel policy is moving up on their priority list to be addressed prominently, asserting that the higher ethanol-blended fuel is causing physical damage to automobiles ("destroying people's cars, destroying people's scooters") and placing an unfair financial strain on everyday citizens, which he characterises as literal theft. "Don't worry, we are going to take up this issue in a massive way because this is destroying people's cars, destroying people's scooters, destroying people's lives and literally stealing directly from them," he said.

Government Defends E20 Fuel, Cites Lack of Evidence for Damage

His remarks came amid the ongoing controversy over the nationwide rollout of petrol blended with 20 per cent ethanol. The policy is aimed at reducing crude oil imports and emissions, but has faced criticism over concerns including lower mileage, possible compatibility issues with older vehicles and limited consumer choice at fuel pumps.

Meanwhile, the Central government and automotive bodies have said there is no verified evidence that E20 petrol, 20% ethanol-blended fuel, causes widespread engine damage or abnormal corrosion. Amid social media concerns about mileage drops and part wear, officials maintained the fuel is safe for compatible vehicles.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas noted that over 3 crore cars and 20 crore two-wheelers have run on blended fuel without any systemic breakdowns. Major manufacturers and industry groups said service records do not show any unusual spike in fuel-system failures.

Officials did acknowledge a minor 3% to 5% drop in fuel economy in some older or non-optimised engines. On corrosion concerns, authorities said ethanol's tendency to attract moisture does not lead to sudden failures in modern, protected fuel tanks. They also clarified that using government-approved E20 fuel does not invalidate standard vehicle insurance policies.

The government further said it has no immediate plan to push ethanol blends beyond 20% without further technical studies. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)